Kathleen's Favorite Five

Are you a list-maker like I am? I have all kinds of lists on my desk: a grocery list, an outdoor chore list, a hardware store list, a "things Gramma needs at the retirement home" list, and the ubiquitous to-do list.

This time of year I start another list, in fact it's my favorite list—a Christmas list!

Everyone in my life knows I'm a knitter, so I always get cute knitting notions and beautiful single skeins of luxury yarns. I've trained my people very well, and I'm very lucky they asked for training!

Do you need to let your people know what knitting goodness you'd like this year? Here's a list of my recommendations; feel free to pass it on.

Knitting Green: Conversations and Planet Friendly Projectsis just what we need for these eco-conscious times. Editor Ann Budd brings together knitting pros to discuss their feelings about conservation and share clever and beautiful patterns that help us protect our planet. From yarn choices to washing your handknits, you'll be inspired to knit greener and live greener.

Knitting Daily TV Series 500 is a must-have for all of you knitters who want be up on design trends, new and favorite designers, tips and tricks, and any knitter who wants to go from good knitting to great knitting. I've learned so much from KDTV, and I promise that you will too!

Sockupied is truly revolutionary. You can use it from your computer (windows or Mac), viewing videos, watching animated tutorials, enjoying annotated photographs, and much more. The patterns are all presented as PDF downloads, too, so you can print them out and put them in your knitting bag. I love it, and you will too!

Last but most certainly not least is one of the most important and special knitting books published in the last few years: The Haapsalu Shawl: A Knitted Lace Tradition from Estonia. This wonderful book is so beautiful that I keep it on my coffee table. If you're a lace shawl knitter, or if you aspire to be one, this book is essential for you.

Learn the history of lace shawls, complete with authentic patterns and tutorials; this is the whole package. Put it on your Christmas list or give it to a knitter in your life (it would be perfect for the person who taught you to knit!). It's a gift to treasure for a lifetime.

I hope you use these gift ideas to fill up your Christmas list, and just FYI, today is the last day of our Interweave Store sale, so pick up gifts for your knitter friends!

Formerly the senior editor of Interweave Knits magazine, she is now a book editor and knitwear designer.

She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Avery is one of nearly two dozen contributors to the new book "Knitting Green", a collection of earth friendly patterns and essays about knitting published last week. Calgary Herald

For months I've been looking forward to the release of Ann Budd's newest book, "Knitting Green" (Interweave Press, 2010). Upon receiving my copy of the book, I curled up in a comfy chair, listened to the breeze blow by the open windows and began reading. Not all knitting books can hold my attention long enough to flip through each page, cover to cover, but Knitting Green didI wanted to absorb all it had to tell me, and there was plenty. CEY Web-Letter 143

Knitting Green is a helpful and well-crafted effort to point us in a better direction. Knitters Review

It's not about being trendy. Its about trying to be environmentally friendly. Ann Budd is right, knitting seems like an environmentally friendly hobby, but being mindful of our impact, our carbon footprint, is more important than ever. KnittingScholar.com

"[A] thoughtful book. The items in these pages are both fashionable and functional." Verena Knitting